Letter
by GoldenDawn13
Summary: Teddy Lupin has a lot on his mind and goes to see Professor Jones, a close friend of his complication. His teacher helps him more than he thought.


Hestia slumped tiredly in her chair. She had been grading the Transfiguration tests all night and had fallen asleep in her classroom, her head lying on the desk cluttered with papers. Yawning, the older woman rubbed her tired eyes. To her great surprise, standing in front of her was a sixth year looking Remus Lupin.

"Remus?" Hestia whispered. Her brain buzzed. The kind werewolf was supposed to be dead.

The Remus Lupin flinched. "Professor," he finally said in a shaky voice. "Are you feeling alright?"

Hestia's vision cleared. Standing in front of her was a pale Teddy Lupin, the son of her dear werewolf friend.

"I'm fine," smiled the Transfiguration teacher weakly. "Just a bit tired and I guess I zoned out for a bit. What can I do for you Teddy?"

Teddy shifted nervously from foot to foot. His Head of the House raised her eyebrows expectedly.

"Well, Professor, you know how Harry came in for History of Magic and taught all the older years about the Seconding Wizarding War?" Teddy suddenly blurts out.

Hestia nodded, feeling the familiar pit of loneliness and remorse in her stomach. During both wars all of her friends had fallen. The only ones left were her and Kingsley.

Well," continues Teddy and he looks so much like Remus and Tonks even with his turquoise hair and amber eyes, Hestia bites her lip as she feels tears well up. She had become close friends with the metamorphagus who reminded her so much of Benjy Fenwick.

During Harry's talk he mentioned my parents and how brave they were," explained Teddy. Hestia nodded slowly and offered him some tea and biscuits.

"Are you asking me about your parents?" asked Hestia kindly. Teddy just chomped on the biscuits. The woman smiled sadly at the teen. "You're confused," she observed. Teddy broke.

"It's just not fair!" he burst angrily. "Everywhere I go people are always telling me how _brave_ and _in love_ my parents were. It gets so irritable! They all talk like they know my parents so well, but they're just saying that! Everyone has to say people who died are brave! Before, I believed them and was so proud of my parents, but then I realized that was the only thing people said about my parents. I can't even tell them if they're lying or not because," the metamorphagus voice trailed off.

Hestia gave his hand a sympathetic squeeze. "Teddy, I see you're angry and annoyed. I understand. But is there something bigger that's bothering you?" she asked quietly. Teddy stared at his shoes.

Are you sad and confused because," the teacher gently pressed, "you don't know anything about your parents, but everyone else seems to?" The crying confirmed it. She offered some tissues. Teddy ducked his head, embarrassed of his tears.

Hestia inwardly smiled. All teenage boys were the same. She remembered when Gideon was utterly humiliated when he burst into tears when… _Fabian_… almost died from accidental poisoning. It had taken them three days to finally convince Gid that it was fine to cry when you're a sixteen year old boy.

Teddy sniffed. "It's just that everyone tells me great things about my parents and how they would be so proud of me and how I remind them so much of my parents. It makes me realize that, well, I don't know anything about them," he finishes quietly.

One time, I came back for Christmas and I said 'Wotcher' to my grandmum because I thought it was a cool way to say hi. She cried for a day and wouldn't come out of her room. Harry finally explained why to me a week later," her student said sadly.

"Teddy?" interrupted Hestia softly. Teddy turned his attention to her.

"Yes?"

"I have an assignment for you." Teddy raised his eyebrows in interest. Hestia felt her breath get caught in her throat. Remus used to raise his eyebrows.

Your assignment is to collect as much research as you can about your parents for a week. Ask teachers, students, anyone you know, read books on them, anything. At the end of the week, come up with your own conclusion of what you think your parents were like with the research you collected," the Transfiguration teacher assigned. "When you have your conclusion, come to my office and report to me what you think."

Teddy nodded, looking excited. "Thank you Professor! I'm going go hit the library."

Professor Jones smiled. Just like his parents; the same exciting energy as Tonks and the same love for the library as Remus. "You're welcome Teddy. Have a great week!"

It had been a week and Teddy had been extremely devoted to Professor Jones's assignment. He had asked almost everyone about what they knew and thought about his parents.

Teddy sat in the library, pouring over all the notes and research he had written and collected. Grinning, the metamorphagus shoved papers into his bag and rushed out of the library, tripping on air and falling flat on his face in the process.

"Professor!" called a familiar voice. Hestia turned to an excited Teddy.

"Did you come up with a conclusion?" she asked smiling. Teddy shook his head.

"Yeah, but I need to ask one more person's opinion before I'm certain with my conclusion."

"Whose?"

"Yours, obviously," he grinned. Hestia grinned back. "So Professor Jones, what do know and think about Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin?"

Hestia smiled tearfully. "They were good people Teddy. They were brave and in a beautiful loving relationship as everyone say. I remember them so well. We were good friends. Tonks was a wonderful woman. She was kind, cheerful, caring, loyal, intelligent, hilarious, and one of those people who just made you feel happy, even during tough times. Remus was just as wonderful; a kind, loving, quiet, thoughtful, mischievous, intelligent, werewolf. He always thought about other before himself, he was the most selfless person I have ever met." Hestia sighed, not noticing the tears falling down her cheeks.

Teddy sat quietly, hanging on to every word.

Your parents were such opposites of each other and yet they were so perfect for each other. They brought the best of one another," she paused, trying to find the right words. "Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks were true love."

"You were close friends to them?" the half werewolf, half metamorphagus asked softly.

The dark haired woman nodded. "Very. During the war, everyone in Order could only find comfort in each other. Especially me," she added a single tear falling down.

Teddy decided not to ask his Transfiguration teacher. Professor Jones was kind and caring and even mischievous from time to time, but she also had a sad and lonely past.

His teacher suddenly gave a start. "Teddy, I almost forgot. I have something for you." She began to dig through her desk, papers flying everywhere. Teddy inwardly smiled. Professor Hestia Jones was the messiest and most disorganized wizard in the entire wizarding world.

"You could just _Accio_ it," he laughed. Hestia laughed and slapped her forehead.

"Why do I never think of that? _Accio_ Remus's letter to Nymphadora!" she called, swishing her wand. Teddy's laughter fell silent. An old, wrinkled piece of paper flew into Hestia's hand. "This is a letter from your dad to your mum when he left to fight against Voldemort to create a better world for you."

Dumbstruck, the teenage boy took the paper. His teacher watched as his amber eyes scanned the neat, small, letters of his father's handwriting. Tears soon filled his amber eyes and his hair turned a sandy brown with grey flecks. The letter fell onto the Transfiguration teacher's desk, from his numb fingers.

Hestia set her soft dark eyes on his. "But most of all, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks are very proud and love with all their heart their greatest gift, Teddy Lupin."

The latter mentioned choked on his salty tears, his chest heaving. "Professor?" he whispered. "Can I – can I have this?" he asked, almost shyly.

The Professor blinked. "Of course you can have it." She smiled. "In fact, I'm very sorry I didn't give it to you earlier."

Her student stared at her for a full five seconds and then before she knew it, he was hugging her tightly. "Thank you," he mumbled into her shoulder. She blinked twice, surprised, and then rubbed his back comfortably.

"So Teddy," Hestia Jones said cheerfully after their hugging session. "What is your conclusion?"

Teddy took a deep breath. "I have researched hard and long all about my parents. Everyone who doesn't know my parents just say they were heroes. Others say they were brave, in love, and I should be very proud of them. Finally, there are the people who really tell me about my parents," he explained. "I've taken all their answers and put them together to what _I _think my parents were like."

Hestia smiled encouragingly. "What are your parents like?"

"They were brave, true love, kind, caring, intelligent, heroes, thoughtful, strong, and the best parents anyone could wish for," Teddy said with fierce pride. "But there's also more to them; stuff that makes them, them." His teacher motioned him to continue.

"Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin couldn't go anywhere without tripping over something, including her own feet. She was extremely stubborn, mischievous, and was a loyal Hufflepuff friend. Mum was full of life, spreading happiness. She was a metamorphagus and always had her hair a bright unnatural color. Her favorite was bubblegum pink. Mum was also kind, caring, and a skilled Auror with wicked spell work. She jinxed the stuffing out of anyone who dared to call her by her first name."

She would've been a great mum," Teddy said softly.

Hestia nodded sympathetically. "What about your father?"

"Remus Lupin was a Marauder nicknamed Moony. He was also a werewolf. Dad loved reading. He was sort of a book nerd, but he was also very mischievous. Dad was extremely selfless. He always thought of others and not himself. In fact, he thought very low of himself because he was a poor, old, werewolf that was shunned by the world. Chocolate was Dad's oxygen and baby wrapped in one. He made people feel safe and warm. Defense Against the Dark Arts was his best subject. Dad taught for one year and everyone thought of him as one of the best teachers ever."

But most of all, they loved their son Teddy Lupin to death. They died proudly to give him a better world. He wishes he could tell them how much he loves them."

Amber eyes burned with unshed tears.

"A wonderful conclusion Mr. Lupin, I hope you find comfort in the letter; something that lets you learn more about them, and reminds you of them and their love."

Teddy Lupin nodded, thanked his professor with soft, grateful eyes, and carefully smoothed out the letter. Hestia Jones smiled kindly, watching her student leave with the parchment clutched tightly to his heart.

_Dear Dora…_

_I have written this letter to inform you that I have left for the battle. I would be begging you right now to stay home and keep Teddy safe in case I don't make it. But I know you, and right now you are already on your way to help fight. Please stay safe, is all I wish for. _

_Dora, you and I both know we will likely not make it. What will happen if we leave Teddy? I remind myself that Andromeda and Harry will take care of him. We shall fight for our son; for a better world for our boy to grow up in. _

_Nymphadora Tonks. If I don't make it I want you to know… that I love you. I know you already know this, but I am not the most expressive in my feelings and need to tell you this. I love you. With all my heart. I look in the mirror and see an old, poor werewolf who does not deserve a woman who is so amazing, beautiful, young, intelligent, and I could go on and on. I can hear your fierce protests that you do not care and we have already been over this. And we have. I may not deserve you, but I need you and would sacrifice myself for you. Isn't that true love? _

_I would get all sappy about all the things I love about you, but that is not me and this is not you. I just want you to know, I don't how or why I deserve to be the luckiest man in the world, with an angelic wife and a perfect child, but I want you two to know how much you mean to me and how miraculously happy you have made me._

_I shall die peacefully knowing I am the most loved man, with the most beautiful family._

_Remus John Lupin_


End file.
